When Abraham Lincoln spoke the famous words, “by the people, for the people” in the Gettysburg Address, he was referring to the most important aspect of a successful and sustainable government.

Replace the word “people” with “antique gas engine enthusiast” and that phrase describes the foundation on which Gas Engine Magazine was built and continues to rely upon for future success. After all, it’s you, the reader, who decides the content of this magazine by sending in your articles and photos.

But the truly unique aspect of this magazine is that every reader has an equal voice, no matter if you’ve submitted an article or not. And the best way for that voice to be heard is to become a member of the Editorial Advisory Group. All you need to sign up is an e-mail address.

As a member of the Gas Engine Magazine Editorial Advisory Group, you’ll be the recipient of periodic e-mail surveys that help us shape GEM into the magazine you want to read. Your answers will help us focus our search for future content, as well as give us guidance when it comes to issues of readability and design.

Additionally, your answers will help us mold our massive Web site of archived information into a more manageable and useful resource.

Many readers have already joined the group but if you haven’t, now would be great time to do so. As we ease into 2011, we’re planning some surveys that will be asking specific questions about what you like and don’t like about the magazine and the Web site. The first of these surveys is scheduled to go out the first week in February, so be sure to sign up today and have your voice heard.

By now, winter has gripped most of the country. While this time of year usually drives people to cozy up next to the fire with a good book and a nice cup of coffee, many folks in the gas engine world recognize this time of year as a prime time to get out the tools and start working on a project. After all, there are only a few short months before the brunt of the show season begins.

So what are you working on this winter? Let us know in the comments below. And good luck!

When restoring an antique gas engine, replacing broken or missing parts is a necessity. Sometimes, those parts no longer exist and a restorer must fabricate new parts. In order to preserve the otherwise natural, barn-fresh condition of an engine, some restorers will intentionally age the new pieces to give it an artificial, yet realistic-looking patina that matches the engine. In a matter of a few hours, a combination of heat and chemical reaction can add 100 years of "age" to a newly fabricated piece. For these collectors, the goal isn't to deceive anyone - it's simply to maintain the visual integrity of the engine they're trying to restore.

Other collectors, mindful of the investment potential in antique gas engines, question this practice. Antique gas engines in complete, original condition hold greater value for some collectors when compared to engines that have been restored. For these collectors, the process of intentional aging represents an obstacle to guaranteeing authentic original condition. And while the restorer of a piece may be upfront about what pieces have been restored and intentionally aged, the provenance of the engine will likely get murkier the further removed that engine is from its restorer.

So what do you think about this practice? Take the poll and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below: